Things were looking bad for Ford racing. The Roush/Fenway team must shed one car for next year. The 26 car will race no more. Yates in its alliance with Hall-of-Fame Racing appeared in chaos as Bobby Labonte was removed from several remaining races in a sponsorship deal. With the Yates organization and Roush cut but one team, where did that leave the "Blue Oval Boys" for 2010?
Meanwhile, the alliance created by Gillette/Evernham essentially buying out Richard Petty Enterprises but bringing on "the King" for his leadership, expertise, and public relations capacity, has had limited success outside the #9 team, Budweiser sponsorship, with Kasey Kahne as its driver who is well-positioned to make "The Chase."
Given the cars are essentially the same regardless of nameplate, the only real difference is the engine. Where Petty has struggled has been bringing on the new Dodge engine which has been part of the Penske Dodge operation's success with Kurt Busch. If nothing else, NASCAR knows Yates builds horsepower. This merger could result in a potentially strong team. Kasey Kahne is a first class talent who could benefit tremendously from first rate horsepower. Paul Menard, Elliot Sadler, and A.J. Allmendinger will round out the team. Reed Sorenson and Bobby Labonte's future is unclear.
Some other intriguing questions need to be answered. For instance, who will run the #43 car? Will this team bring back the legendary #28 for one of its rides, a number associated with Yates success in the past and Ford history going back to Fred Lorenzen's run in the winning Holman-Moody Ford in the mid 60's.
While it might seem strange to see Richard Petty's name associated with Fords, we think of him racing Dodges and Chryslers, then GM cars predominantly Pontiacs before his retirement in 1992. Richard Petty was a Ford driver in a fastback Torino in 1969. Back then, that light Petty blue paint job and the #43 on the side of the car spelled doom for other competitors regardless of whose sheetmetal or engine NASCAR's greatest driver raced.
Ford will have eight full time cars racing next year that should have adequate funding and sponsorship. Richard Petty's legend is kept alive and remains on an American nameplate. We can imagine some would find something unsettling about "The King's" legend turned over to Toyota while we remind our readers the Toyota Camry is the only car in Sprint Cup competition that is assembled in the United States.
The odd-man out is Bobby Labonte. His brother went through a long dry spell between his championships, so for the sake of younger brother, Bobby, we hope opportunities lie ahead for him. His presence was supposed to envigorate the Petty garage, but that organization simply did not have the resources to race to win during his tenure. Then much hope surfaced as Labonte joined Hall-of-Fame racing teaming up with Yates and champion crew chief, Todd Parrott, but the results have been dreadful this year. Unless there's something about Bobby Labonte we don't know, he'd be a welcome addition to any team looking for a driver upgrade.
How this will play out for the remainder of the season is unknown. Surely, the Richard Petty Racing operation must do all it can to ensure Kasey Kahne's success in "The Chase." Meanwhile, Paul Menard can race assured he has a ride, perhaps in part to the Menard's sponsorship, next year. One has to believe he has not had the chance to show his potential in a floundering DEI operation or what he's struggled with this year racing for Yates.
Elliot Sadler must also be a winner in this deal. It was this past off-season he looked like a man pushed out of a ride from the Petty/Gillette-Evernham merger.
Finally, what does this move say for Dodge in Sprint Cup? Only Penske's three car operation remains Dodge for now. Will Penske's rides still be Dodges or some other nameplate next year?
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